Lasting Last Words
by minatochan2
Summary: Naruto is left near death in the wake of the Fourth Shinobi War. Can Minato share his feelings to his son or will Naruto be lost to the Shinigami without his father's love? No yaoi or pairings just a lot of father-son fluff. Spoiler if you haven't read up to chapter 619 in the manga.
1. Voices

Voices. It felt like there were hundreds of them. Some of them were barking out numbers, others yelling things he couldn't understand. They buzzed in his ears, blurring together like one huge chorus that signaled impending doom. He tried to open his eyes to figure out what was going on but the only thing he could make out were blurred shadows towering over him, working hurriedly. He let his eyelids droop closed. A dull ache resonated in his chest. It felt a lifetime away. His inert limbs were sprawled on the white sheets of the hospital bed. He aimed to move one of them to shove off one of the swarming people but the best he could manage was to twitch his finger.

He wanted to say something, try to understand the events occurring around him but the only sound he could make was a groan that shredded his throat. He immediately hated himself for sounding so pitiful.

"Hur…Min… wak…!"

The sounds grew louder, more lucid. He winced. They stabbed at his consciousness like thousands of needles.

"Na…Naru…!"

Almost instantly, he could feel a hand glide along his cheek. He leaned into it subtly. It seemed foreign to him yet oddly familiar, like something out of a dream that he only now realized he'd forgotten. Had he felt that hand before? He strained his eyes, letting them rest on the hazy figure above him.

The outside of the man was shrouded in the white hospital lights that ate at the blond tips of his hair. An endearing smile was spread across his face betrayed only by his eyebrows that were furrowed in worry. His loving eyes were blackened with only a pool of white for irises. "Naruto," he purred, stroking the blonde locks from his son's eyes.

"Dad..?" Naruto croaked. It felt like the one word sapped him of all his energy.

The man's smile widened, pleased with the title. "Yeah, I need you to stay awake okay? Can you do that for me?"

Naruto nodded weakly, struggling to blink the exhaustion from his eyes. What was he still doing here? Wouldn't the Edo-Tensei have worn off or something? He breathed in harshly as a sharp pain erupted in his chest. It felt like his heart was on fire. Minato 's eyes broke contact with him for the first time in minutes and sent a concerned look to some of the silhouettes Naruto could only assume were medic-nins. After a few moments, he released a shaky gasp. Every breath afterward clenched and wrought his torso and he found it harder and harder to inhale. Minato reassured him softly, caressing tufts of blonde hair in between his finger tips.

Welcoming darkness began to sneak across his mind, dancing along the edges of his vision and easing some of the pain that riddled his chest. It whispered sinister enticements to end his pain entirely.

Minato looked down at his son in apprehension. His breathing was uncomfortably slow and tensed. "Naruto?"

The boy shifted slightly and peered up at him through half closed slits. He looked absolutely exhausted. Minato put on a brave façade, "just making sure you were still awake." He felt so lame. It was the only thing he could do to keep himself from falling into a nervous wreck.

He fought the urge to look anywhere but at his son's face. Every other part of him was torn and shredded, not to mention the gaping hole that drove through his chest. Minato didn't trust himself with that; he didn't trust himself to see what he hadn't been able to protect his son from.

Naruto could feel himself fading from consciousness but he forced a frail smile. "Dad… I need… to tell…"

Minato hushed him gently. "You can tell me after this. Just don't fall asleep on me now." He made no attempt to hide the panic in his eyes. "Naruto. We still need you here."

Naruto shook his head and forced his mouth to form words, "Dad… You and mom…"Minato halted any attempts to quiet his son, listening intently with wide eyes. "I wouldn't trade you… for the world." He desperately fought the shadows that began to descend along his sight. He had to tell him. He had to let his father know. "I'm glad…you were my parents…" The noise in the room grew exponentially louder. The two blondes seemed completely oblivious, left in a different time and a different place wishing things had been different. Minato didn't care if he was a lowly genin or a hokage; he had failed in his last goal: to protect what was most important to him.

Darkness began to replace light in a downhill battle that could never be won. The throb that had been echoing in his core melted into warmth. Voices sounded miles away and blurred once again into a sweet lullaby. Through the calm chaos Naruto was able to force out the one thing that had been in his heart since the beginning of the war. _"I love you."_

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**Author's Note:**

_Okay, there is going to be a second part to this that I'll write...eventually (probably within the next month- around mid-November). It's not supposed to be a huge commitment for me because of my busy schedule with classes so this will be kinda like a one shot. Until then, you guys are all just going to have to deal with the cliffhanger. Sorry. xD *evil writer genes take over!*_

_This is my first day ever of writing fan fiction so please have mercy and maybe review? :D _

_Thanks! 3 Minatochan2_


	2. Reflections

It was uncannily still. Rain assailed the empty streets of Kirigakure from a grey sky. Urban buildings torn from age stretched up into the eternal downpour casting elongated, dreary shadows when illuminated by the occasional flicker of lightning. The hospital fared no better. Medics wandered the halls like ghosts, informing people of their loved one's deaths. Ninjas and civilians alike were strewn through the ghastly white passages weeping or consoling others.

Minato was perched among one of the long wooden benches chained to the walls. His eyes were trained on the floor as if he couldn't shoulder the burden of looking at any of the medics that filed out of the adjacent room. They exuded an air of hopelessness that could be felt miles away. Every one of them moved sluggishly like they were caught in a rift of time that was set on replay.

No words needed to be shared; no relief would be found in any solace they could offer. He didn't flinch when one of them situation herself beside him. "Tsunade," he acknowledged for mere formality. She let out a long sigh and studied him hard. Minato didn't move.

"They didn't know him."

"Hm?"

"The doctors," she supplied. "They didn't know him but every last one of them was crying." She tugged at the handkerchief holding any stray hairs out of her face. "Doctors are trained to handle things like that you know. Hundreds of people have probably died in front of them yet they wept for your son." She waited silently. Minato gave no response other than that of bleak interest. He really didn't feel like talking or even existing at this point.

"You know, your son was the reason I accepted the Hokage title."

Minato perked up slightly, letting his eyes slide lazily to meet her. Tears streaked across her face. "He was probably only about thirteen then, the little brat. Called me "old hag" with his stupid "dattebayo," she laughed drily. "He was cocky, over-confident, and a complete idiot. Never followed any rules or agenda other than his own. Pfft, he used to bribe me with food to get his way. Me! The Hokage!" A smile crept across her face at the fond memories. "But he was the one who got me here all the same." She paused, any humor draining from her voice. "I thought that kage were just a figurehead forever caught in a useless system. Then he came in boasting about pride and his dream to become one. He was so innocent, I figured that if anyone could show the world some sort of happiness it would be him. So I took it on. Not because I wanted to make a name for myself but because I wanted to be the one to pass on the title to him. That became my dream: to see Naruto become Hokage." She wiped at her tears with the back of her hand before letting out another defeated sigh.

Minutes passed by. Minato figured the experienced doctor had somewhere else to be but she didn't move. A sharp cry tore through the halls. Both the adults' heads whipped toward the sound. "His friends," Tsunade answered detachedly.

A group of at least a dozen people crumpled onto chairs or the ground. Most of the men distantly eyed the tiled-patterns of the floor as if they were waiting for it to spell out what they should do next. Others comforted some of the girls who had their faces burrowed in their hands. Minato watched them silently. Two girls, one with flowing black hair and another with rosy pink, hugged each other as they sobbed. He detested himself for feeling envious of them and the chance they had to know his son. What right did he have to mourn over someone he hardly knew?

Tsunade shook her head as she exhaled, "His dream became everyone's dream."

"Thank you."

Tsunade nodded and allowed herself to be hauled off by other medic-nins. Minato stood as well, presenting a feeble grin that faded as soon as she disappeared from sight. He didn't know how long he stood there, gazing at a figure that had long since vanished. When had he last felt so alone? He couldn't recall.

His eyes raced to a window farther down the hall as a crack of lightning lit the inside of the corridor like a strobe light. He permitted himself to move toward it until he was close enough that he could faintly feel the damp air from outside that seeped through. The bitter cold bit at his cheek but he hardly noticed. His side leant against the wall, his hands hidden in his pockets, in an attempt to make himself more comfortable.

The hokage subliminally noted the people passing by him. He half-expected them to be whispering conspiratorially about the events surrounding his reanimation but none of them seemed to send him a passing glance. Minato didn't mind it though; it felt nice to not be a person of interest.

Instead, he gazed nonchalantly at his reflection in the window. His breath left faint smudges on the image but he could still make out his face: the fine lines of his jaw, his mouth, his nose. All of them were void of attention. He focused entirely on his black eyes. _What a cruel reminder_, he thought. _Even in death, I cannot be with my son. _

His thoughts led him back to Kushina. She probably would be slumped against the wall weeping like any normal being would if she were in his place. Why was it that everyone else had tears to shed for his son but him?

His concentration shifted back to reality. "Minato-sensei." He turned to face a masked jounin, a hitai-ate emblazoned with the character "shinobi" sloppily covering his left eye. "Kakashi," he greeted bluntly.

The man gestured to the spot next to his teacher. Minato shrugged which the ninja took as a subtle "yes". They both looked at the opposite wall, neither one of them daring to look at the other. Minato made a mental record of the fatigued stature of his friend and the white wrap that adorned his right shoulder. "You should be resting. I hear the Mangekyou Sharingan really takes its toll on you."

Kakashi's eye twinkled with what could only be assumed was a smile. "Probably."

A hush fell over the both of them again. "I just thought I should tell you." Minato glanced toward his former student. "The greatest gift you could have ever given the world was your son." The jounin turned and walked off without another word, plucking his latest book casually from a bag resting demurely on his hip.

Minato's eyes returned to the window and froze. His reflection was spotted with tears that trickled across his transparent image. He numbly reached up to touch his face. No. It was just the rain.

He turned his back to the wall, returning his hand to his pocket. The dim cries of the dozen people down the hall had since become inaudible. He occupied his time with memorizing the monotonous sound of the clock: _Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick… _It sounded like a mechanic heartbeat, lulling his mind into a state disconnected with the events around him. How long had he been there? He looked up at the clock. 1_2:20. _Naruto had never turned seventeen.

As if on cue, a man ran out of the lonely hospital room shouting for a doctor. Minato jolted from the wall watching with wide eyes as medics poured into the hallway. Everyone watched the confusion with stunned expressions. Then they were shut out, with nothing to prove anything had changed aside from the tense atmosphere. It seemed like the entire world stopped. No one dared to breathe.

Minato vaguely recalled the man to his left and the scar etched across his nose, the same one who had just emerged from the room. He felt compelled to ask him what had happened but couldn't find it in himself to break the silence. He desperately wished a noise from the other room would slip past the perpetual watch of the doorway to give them a clue as to what was occurring. None did.

He counted every agonizing tick of the clock in his head. His son's friends all focused their sight on the door, willing a single thought to be true. Ages passed in minutes. If Minato had a beating heart, he was sure it would have stopped.

Nearly everyone flinched as the blonde Hokage exited in a composed fashion. The door clicked behind her softly. She eyed the miniature crowd around her, letting her gaze rest on everyone of them before she finally exhaled with a satisfied smile, "He's a stubborn one that Naruto."

Minato could feel the warmth of tears pour down his face.

**Author's Note: **

_Thank you for taking the time to read the second chapter! This focused more on Minato (since Naruto was *cough* dead) and his feelings surrounding his and Naruto's relationship. I tried to spend a lot of time discussing how influential Naruto was to everyone else in the story and highlight Minato's conflicting emotions. The reason this is set in Kirigakure will be explained later. Review maybe? :D_

_3 Minatochan2_


	3. Til Then I'll Wait

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I do not own Naruto. If I did, Minato and Jiraiya would both still be alive._

Naruto froze where he stood. He couldn't remember how he got here or when but his eyes focused on one object.

He recognized the long white mane immediately. The old man was settled on the ground beside a vast lake that glistened with an array of blues and greens. The sun's reflection danced over the water smiling with a white light. Mountains stretched along the horizon and a faint summer breeze ran by causing the trees to sway and shower them with crisp leaves.

The sage faced away from him for what felt like an eternity. Naruto studied the details of his deceased master during this time, taking in his everything from his red sandals to the tie pulling his hair into a bushy strand that trailed down his back. The hefty scroll was missing from the man's possession and the fact stuck out blatantly.

A piece of him wanted to scream for joy and the other out of frustration. He didn't, couldn't move; the conflicting emotions forced his muscles into a crushing stalemate.

Eventually the man's head turned. Naruto felt himself wince at the amount of shock and sorrow held within the black irises. "You're still so young…"

Naruto looked away. He never accomplished his dream. A bitter reminder of all the ramens he told Iruka-sensei he would repay once he was "rich and famous" chewed on the back of his conscience. He swallowed it down and returned his attention back to the man in front of him.

Jiraiya let out a disappointed sigh and rubbed at one of his temples. "Naruto." He peered at him with a gentle gaze and the ghost of a smile that tugged at the wrinkles on his cheeks. "Come over here punk."The addressed boy, more reassured by the playful title, obeyed almost instantaneously. The earth was hard, cushioned only by a thin layer of grass. Naruto shifted uneasily before settling on sitting cross-legged. He held his hands in his lap as close to himself as possible.

Jiraiya hummed as he observed his student approvingly. "You've gotten a little taller short-stuff." He reached over and ruffled blonde locks of hair, grinning wildly. Naruto huffed indignantly but quickly mirrored the same smile.

"So," Jiraiya broke in. "You get a girl yet?"

Naruto eyed him suspiciously before frowning and scratching at his left arm. "Well, I think Sakura is kinda warming up to me, ya know. But Hinata likes me too I guess and I just…it's really complicated." He let out a halfhearted laugh. It felt odd to be talking about such trivial and personal things to his godfather once again.

Jiraiya continued as if he hadn't noticed his company's discomfort, "Ah, you're being chased by all the ladies now I see! I guess I know a little of what that's like." The sage received a swift blow to the shoulder. "Just teasing, just teasing! Geez kid, when did you get such a punch!?"

"Since I've been off training! I've gotten pretty good ya know," The younger gloated, flaunting a sneaky smirk.

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Oh really? You're gonna have to tell me all about it then!"

And so Naruto began to enlighten his master of all the new techniques, tribulations, and people he'd come into contact with, working backwards from the last battle of the Fourth Shinobi War. He described every encounter to its fullest detail, never missing an opportunity to emphasis his own awesomeness. Jiraiya nodded and asked questions here and there but for the most part let the teenager go uninterrupted. He smiled encouragingly, a burst of pride swelling in his chest.

Naruto finally worked his way through time to his fight with Nagato. He picked his words carefully. Jiraiya's attention spiked as the conversation now concerned multiple of his students. "He was a good guy, both him and Konan. He just had some trouble finding his way is all." The elder of the two beamed, pleased at the answer.

That was everything up until my departure, Jiraiya reminisced. What a story this boy has to tell. No doubt most of the heartbreak was exempt from his tale but Jiraiya himself could fill in the pieces. He could see the sharpness of adult features had already beginning to inhabit his face, giving him a wise and refined look. Naruto had become a fine young man in the past few months.

Blonde hair streaked across his vision in less than a second. He was pulled into one of the tightest embraces he'd ever felt.

"Grandpa."

Jiraiya's face reflected an entirely different set of emotions than before. He had left him alone. As much as he felt like he could justify the actions leading to his death, his heart clenched at the thought of not seeing his student grow up. The realization hit him that he would've never seen it regardless; Naruto was dead. It stood apart from all his other thoughts.

"Grandpa huh?" he laughed forlornly. It did little to replace the aching the both of them felt. Silence hung in the air like the shine over the water as they hugged each other. Time passed lazily by.

Jiraiya smoothly pulled away, leaving his hands gripping the youth's shoulders. "Naruto. I-"

Naruto looked at his hands in shock. A soft glow was omitted from them, his limbs seeming to fade like an image on transparent glass. "Sensei?" he voiced in panic.

Jiraiya sent him a bittersweet grin in response. "Looks like you've got a ways left before we talk again shorty."

Naruto bit his lip. "But I…when will that be?"

A booming laugh erupted from the man. "Hopefully not until you have a lot more stories to tell me! I'll be waiting 'til then."

The world seemed to spin out of proportion. The light of the lake shined to a blinding white and the dark values of the whirling leaves began to fade to the same shade. He could barely make out his master's aged face filled only with compassion and hope.

"'Til then grandson."

**Author's Note:**

_I really didn't have it in me to kill off Naruto so sorry if that's what some of you were expecting. Since I'm going to be pretty busy this next weekend, I doubt I'll have time to update until November so I split this and the last chapter up so that you could have something. This is just an excerpt I whipped up since I always liked Jiraiya/Naruto. Please review (it makes me feel like someone likes this). Thanks!_

_Minatochan2_


	4. I Suppose We Are

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. If I did, Minato would always wear his cape.

It surprised Minato how many things he failed to notice about the hospital during the first night. Doctors frequently napped on benches whenever they could scavenge some spare time and aside from popular belief, the halls were worn down with years of use and their white shade seemed to merely be a ghost of its former glory. The toxic smell of chemicals would have been overwhelming had he not had his fair share of both hospital visits and stays. The odor of anesthetic and blood created a fog that hung over the inside of the building just as real as the one that blanketed the sleeping city outside. Rain continued to come down with a vengeance, beating against the secure roof in an unpredictable rhythm.

The blonde absentmindedly pinched the bridge of his nose. It felt like he had aged a lifetime in the past day.

"You should relax some Minato. Get anymore uptight and you'll kill yourself," Tsunade jeered. The joke fell flat and only served to cause her companion to shift uneasily against the wall. She shook her head. "He's gonna be fine. He always bounces back or I'm sure one of my own punches would've ended him a long time ago." Minato nodded and gazed out the window to his right. It was dark and eerie in the alley a few floors below, with limited spots of light echoing from shops on street corners only to be devoured by the undying downpour.

The older woman supplied another shake of her head and muttered under her breath, "men." A welcome silence fell over the room as Tsunade continued to scribble down notes on a clipboard only looking up to eye the younger of the two blondes on occasion or to check one of the various dials and tubes protruding from his arms and chest.

Minato stirred and noticed Tsunade had placed the clipboard back in its rightful place at the end of the hospital bed and was retying her hair back into its signature pigtails. "Normally, I'd say he shouldn't be awake for at least another week or two but based on the way he's healing, I think within the next few days should be a good bet."

"Betting's never really been your strong suit now has it hokage-sama?"

She snorted in annoyance. "Like you've never had your problems _hokage-sama_." Tsunade adjusted her green coat with a huff only adding to Minato's new-found amusement. "Anyway," she continued. "You should probably stay here. As much as I hate to think of it, Naruto's painted a pretty big target on his back during the war and I would be surprised if he wasn't in any enemy bingo books. There are ANBU posted outside if the reanimation gets out of hand but if anyone tries to come in here without direct permission from me, feel free to show them the way out." She glared at the wall while cracking her knuckles menacingly.

Minato forced down a gulp while desperately wishing he could sink deeper into the white wall behind him. The only woman he could ever be more afraid of than the one in front of him was his own wife.

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The strong pattern of the monitor flickered on occasions, a faint beat that was out of place but loud enough for Minato to notice. He found it hard to keep his eyes from racing to the screen every few seconds. It was a very real reminder of how close Naruto had been.

Tsunade had explained it to him days before: apparently some blunt force trauma to his chest caused a segment of the cardiac tissue in his septum to tear slightly. Initially, it didn't present too much of a problem but as the fighting waged on and his blood pressure continued to remain heightened, the tear grew bigger and eventually caused a myocardial rupture.

Minato, as intelligent as he was, could hardly wrap his mind around all of the medical terminology but he understood enough to recognize the single beat as a heart murmur. Tsunade assured him that the kyuubi's chakra would take hold and it would disappear but for the moment, the one extra beep plagued his conscience.

He forced his attention back onto his book. Utilizing his newfound knowledge on how to bribe Tsunade, he managed to coerce her into lending him one in exchange for some onigiri and tempura. He grimaced at the title: _History of Herbal Sciences and Medication. _He concluded that poking fun at her gambling losses had not been a wise idea.

After hours of seemingly endless "entertainment" from expert herbalists across time, Minato finally put the finished book on the nightstand, one of the few pieces of furniture aside from some mediocre chairs and the standard hospital bed.

He hesitantly reached over to ruffle the familiar blonde hair. He vaguely noted the warmth from his son's forehead and frowned after retreating his hand. The fever hadn't gone down at all. A tired sigh escaped from his mouth.

"I saw him ya know."

Minato's eyes flashed in the direction of the sound. Naruto eyed the ceiling impassively and made no attempt to move.

"Jiraiya," he stated, answering the unasked question.

Minato nodded understandingly. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Minato situated himself on the bed beside his son. "So, what happened?"

Naruto shrugged slightly without breaking his gaze with the ceiling. "We just talked I guess. He still looked the same from what I can remember."Minato hummed softly, imploring the youth to continue.

Naruto faltered for a moment. "He always called me 'grandson' and we were really close ya know. He was my family." Naruto glanced to his father, a subtle glint reflecting in his blue irises. "Were you guys like that? You and Jiraiya I mean."

Minato smiled at the innocence of the inquiry. "I suppose we were. Although he was always more of a father-figure to me rather than a grandfather, if you could guess. He wasn't quite so ancient back when I was his pupil." This won a weak laugh from the younger of the two. Minato beamed before turning serious again and adding, "But listen, I wouldn't have trusted him with being your godfather if I didn't have that type of relationship with him."

Naruto flinched at the statement and quickly averted his eyes to hide the red glow spreading across his face. Minato grinned at the evident embarrassment on his child's expression. Naruto's gaze slowly traveled back to the safety of the ceiling that was distantly being pounded by rain. He let out a deep breath as if his next sentence had been on his mind every last second of his life: "I miss him."

"I miss him too son."

Neither of them spoke for a long time, both of them lost among different memories with a similar person. Minato was surprised when he suddenly felt a hand clasp his own.

"But you know," Naruto started. "If he was your father, and he was my grandpa, then that would-" he paused, looking back at the hokage. "-that would really make us father and son right?"

Minato blinked the shock from his eyes. After a few moments, he tousled the teenager's hair tenderly while radiating with another soft smile. "Yeah, that would."

**Author's Note:**

_This chapter was supposed to have some comic relief but still hopefully get across how Jiraiya is the medium between both Naruto and Minato (if that helps explain the third chapter's importance). I have done some research into heart defects and took biology in high school so the medical talk is, to my best knowledge, accurate. Just some father-son bonding because if you weren't looking for that, you're on the wrong side of the fanfiction-universe. Thanks to those who have reviewed or favorited or followed or whatever else! Review please (I'm not offended by constructive criticism if that's all you have to offer)?_

_Thanks! Minatochan2_


	5. My Promise

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. If I did, there would be no filler episodes (so vote me ;D).

"Okay, now you have to fold it in hal- no! Dad! Not that way ya know! You're gonna screw it up!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I've never made one before!"

"Not even out of your paperwork!?"

"Most of my paperwork was important; my secretary would've killed me!"

"Dude, you're the Yellow Flash! I doubt it! Alright, now you fold the corners in. Yeah, just like that! And, voila: the world's greatest paper airplane!"

Minato held up his work. It was average at best but Naruto still grinned while scratching at the bandages on his head. "Um, okay, maybe not the greatest but you can only get better ya know!"

Minato nodded while standing up from his position in a chair that he had moved in front of his son. He grimaced. His muscles were stiff since he hadn't moved for a few hours and he was quickly reminded of the fact. He rubbed at the front of his thighs in a futile attempt to rid himself of the taut sensation. "Good to know we have an optimist here."

Naruto shot his father a puzzled look, begging for him to clarify. "Someone who thinks about the positives. Pessimist is the antonym," He paused before adding: "or opposite of it."

"What are you: an encyclopedia?" Naruto shook his head before the older man could lecture him on the difference between "encyclopedia" and "dictionary". "Whatever. Now," The pervious haughty air diminished instantly. He played with his hands while laughing wickedly. "Spit on it."

Minato choked, "You want me to do what?!"

Naruto beamed from ear to ear, his eyes closing to pleased slits. "You heard me. Spit on it."

The hokage batted his eyes in bewilderment. "That's what I thought you said." He glanced from boy to plane. "But why on Earth would I do that?!"

"The trick won't work if you don't. Come on!" He playfully slapped his father's shoulder who rewarded him with an unimpressed frown. The teenager bent over, his hands planted smugly on his hips. "You can't wuss out now ya know!" His father's countenance did not change. _Time for a different tactic. _Naruto let out a faked sigh, "oh well, I guess you'll never know what the spit was for."

This was followed by a defeated moan and a paper airplane layered with a coating of saliva.

"Are you sure it'll even get off the ground?" Minato laughed half-heartedly, eying the plane with a reluctant gaze. He was careful to avoid any of the wet parts that would no doubt severely cripple its flight pattern.

Naruto leaned across the bed to the wide window and fumbled with the latches. "Who's the prank expert here?"

Minato shrugged. "You are I suppose but..." He observed the object from every angle, tossing it up a few inches to see if it would catch any wind. He figured he was justified if he had some reservations about the concept.

The window flung upward after a few tries, sprinkling the both of them with cold rain and mist. The storm had calmed some in the past day but still showered the city with a black fog and a feeling of utter hopelessness. Minato felt a shiver run down his spine but it immediately dissipated once his son's excited eyes returned to him. "Now throw it!"

"But won't it-"

Naruto gestured wildly. "No questions! Just do it!"

He did as he was told and found himself pulled onto the bed beside his son to watch. The plane staggered through the air, its pure white being blotted out with grey from the assailing rain. Its valiant journey was cut short no more than half a meter outside the window and its nose angled toward the ground. Minato had trouble disguising his horror as he witnessed the paper collide with brown, spiked hair. Naruto flung himself to close the window as soon as the plane crumpled against the skull of his captain. Once all the latches were back in place, he sat silently on the bed with wide eyes. Minato was on the verge of consoling him but any worry dispersed instantly. Why wouldn't it? Naruto was practically pounding the bed with his fists in a fit of laughter.

Minato snuck a peek out of the window. The man, sporting blue pants and an undershirt obscured by a typical chunin vest, fingered the top of his head. "Isn't that Tenz-"

"NARUTO!" Draconian eyes bore into the hospital building.

The blonde froze for a moment, his ears perking at the name that penetrated the room and Minato could have sworn he saw a sweat drop trickle down his face. The tranquil silence was short-lived however. Naruto covered his mouth in an effort to stifle his amusement but soon enough he was overwhelmed and elapsed into more laughter that was somehow even louder and more boisterous than before. "Captain Yamato will have a party washing that out of his hair!"

Minato folded his arms donning an unenthusiastic yet intrigued smirk. "And what exactly was 'that'?"

Naruto managed to calm himself down enough to answer. "Spitball-tee-pee-airplane! Kiba, Choji, Shikamaru, and I would always make an army whenever it rained and assault the Academy teachers with them ya know! They would stick like no tomorrow and then the rain would make them impossible to clean up!" He grinned, pleased with the horrendous nature of his invention.

Minato plopped down on the bed beside his son and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are just like your mother." As much as he tried to hide it, Naruto caught the amused smile that creeped across his father's face.

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It was fairly uneventful. The storm had picked back up as swiftly as it had ended, the harshness being masked by the dark night. The pitter-patter of rain and the chorus of synchronized clocks hummed wherever silence was found. For the most part, the hospital was peaceful aside from an occasional nurse that was making her night-rounds.

Minato pored over the never-ending doctor reports. Naruto was motionless beside him, focused on the blank ceiling. Suddenly, he lurched forward.

"Something up?" Minato asked worriedly, peeling his eyes from the texts.

"Nothing. I just realized something." He fell back into the covers with a groan.

His father raised a questioning eyebrow, setting down the manila folder. "What could that be?"

Naruto rolled onto his stomach, resting his chin on his pillow. He scowled at the metal frame of the bed and tugged at the bandages layered across his forehead. "Well, I missed my Birthday!"

Minato laughed smartly. "No, I can recall quite clearly. You were here on your Birthday."

The teenager sent his father a heavy dose of displeasure before continuing, "What I mean is, I wasn't awake; I slept right through the whole thing!" He buried his face in his pillow. "I've slept through a lot of things before but never that ya know!"

Minato leaned over, placing his elbows on the bed and resting his chin in his palms. He purred thoughtfully, "What makes a Birthday a Birthday then?"

Naruto eyed his elder. "Just the idea of it I guess. It just feels stupid that I missed it is all. You know what I mean?"

"I suppose so." Minato's gaze trailed to the window. It felt good to be so close to his son. The bitter winds howled outside beating upon the building with the force of an army. In the moment, it was sensible to think that they were jealous of the warmth resonating inside his soul.

"Dad?"

Minato's vision turned back to his son. Naruto had rotated his head to better see the older blonde. "How much longer am I gonna be stuck here?"

He smiled softly, carding his child's hair through his fingers. "I don't know. It depends."

Naruto's face mirrored his confusion. "On what?"

"Whether or not your captain is going to pummel you the next time he sees you."

"I was being serious ya know!" Naruto lightly hit his father. Minato provided a hearty laugh, holding up his hands in defense. "Geez, you're just like the old perve!"

Minato blinked. "Old perve?"

The boy faltered for a moment. "Never mind. Forget it."

The predictable beat of clocks and rain droned on in the background. Minato shifted uncomfortably. "They're guessing another week."

Naruto's expression morphed to terror; he looked as if he had just been told he was going to be burned alive. "I can't last that long in here! There's nothing to do except think about how I have nothing to do!"

Minato placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure there's _something_ you can do."

"You got any ideas?"

Minato looked over the room. "Well," He paused. He did bring up a good point. The hospital did not have much in the way of entertainment. "Maybe you could read a book."

"Dad," Naruto moaned. Obviously that had not been the answer he was hoping for. However, Minato did notice his son contemplate the idea. "Okay, say I was willing to read a book," he finally said. _He must really be bored out of his mind. _"What even is there to read?"

Automatically, the _History of Herbal Sciences and Medication _was excluded. He himself, an avid reader, had hardly managed to stay awake while reading it. Besides, he had already returned the book to Tsunade on her last visit earlier that day. He absentmindedly checked his pockets and his pouches. He was shocked when his fingers distinguished the familiar corner of a hardcover book. He plucked it out and read the title: _Tales of a Gutsy Ninja._ A piece of him wanted to bash his head against the wall for not having looked sooner.

"I guess I just have this one on me." Minato thumbed through the pages, distantly tracing the crevices signifying reanimation.

Naruto tilted the book's cover toward him. "Whoa! What do you mean you 'just have this one'?! This book is amazing! Where'd you get it!?"

The hokage was taken aback for moment at his son's enthusiasm. Once he composed himself, he sat on the bed beside the teenager, leaning against one of the pillows. "I must have had it with me when I died and consequently, it was also included in the reanimation." He fondly let his fingers stroke the cover. The pages were yellowed and any other color that had been on it had either faded or grayed.

"Aren't we gonna read it?"

Minato's attention turned back to the acute boy beside him. He was reclined in a similar position to his own, his blue eyes centered on him with a mix of eagerness and innocence. Minato smiled and set the book in his lap. "It's pretty late right now. I don't think I'd want to test Tsunade when it comes to her patients."

Naruto grumbled, "Aw, she'll never know! She's always nagging me to read anyway ya know!"

Minato gave in easily with a cheerful chuckle, beckoning his son closer and opening to the prologue. Neither of them had a clue how long they had spent lost between the pages of Naruto's quest for peace. Naruto hung on every sentence, completely wound up in the thread of the story. The fictional character seemed to be just like him in so many ways it was on the verge of uncanny. Minato, on the other hand, cherished being with the real person rather than the protagonist of the story. He leaned his head on top of his son's. He could hardly remember the last time he felt so at peace.

"You're not falling asleep on me are you?"

Minato shook his head. "No. Just resting."

Naruto yawned tiredly. "Good. I would hate to have your drool on my head."

"I'm sure 'Yamato' enjoyed it just as much as you would." Naruto smirked, his drowsy mind omitting the emphasis placed on the name.

"I bet he did," he snickered, exhaustion weighing down on his features until finally his eyes fell closed.

"Naruto."

"Hmm?" The murmur was hardly audible.

"I love you."

Naruto nodded, barely even awake. "I know."

The man placed the book on the nightstand beside him, returning his arms around his son's frame. The figure relaxed in his embrace, drifting off into a nameless sleep.

"I haven't always been there. I haven't always been able to laugh with you or cry with you. I know." He gazed sentimentally at the window. The wind clawed at the glass and the rain was still comparable tears. Lightning struck miles away, muted to the point that it resembled a murmur, one extra beep that plagued his conscience.

"'I love you'. Why did you say that?" The blonde bit back a sob. "I'm glad you did. I'm glad you are my son. I'm glad you are you." He looked down at his child's gentle face. He was so tranquil, seemingly not having a care in the world. The hokage adopted the feeling. He felt whole, complete.

Minato could feel a cold, hazy chill descending on him. He had had this sensation before. The world seemed to slip from his fingertips to an infinite darkness.

"Thank you son." A tear fell from his black eyes, with only a pool of white for irises. "I'll always be here, you just have to look. Always." Paper fluttered off in the breeze, unladed with anything tying it to the mortal world.

A boy was left alone with a three-pronged kunai bearing an array of elegant symbols standing for the promise that his father would never be too far away.

The End

**Author's Note:**

I hope you all were okay with the ending for this story. I always thought it would be cute if Minato's untold feelings toward his son was the reason keeping him on Earth (like the whole sha-bang with Sai's "brother"). There was a bunch of allusions, symbols, and fail-humor in this chapter if that explains why it's twice as long as my other ones. Again, I'm sorry for certain parts that aren't canon or are worded incorrectly (please, no grammar-nazi-Minatos, have mercy ;A; *hides*). If you guys could leave a little (or long) comment in the drop-box below (especially if you actually read the whole thing!) you're input or constructive criticism would be really nice to have! You can like my video or subscribe to my channel. I put out new videos whenever I get an idea! ;D Thanks so much!

Minatochan2

p.s: I have no idea if spitball-tee-pee-airplane works.


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